Method of making an emblem

ABSTRACT

A method of making an emblem comprises the steps of providing a fabric layer; subjecting the fabric layer to a calendering process comprising the application of heat and pressure; applying a pattern on the first surface of the fabric layer; and bonding a second layer of thermoplastic adhesive material to a second surface of the fabric layer.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application is a division of and claims benefit of U.S.patent application Ser. No. 09/579,171, “Emblem Having Calendered FabricLayer”, filed May 25, 2000.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The present invention relates to an emblem and a method of makingan emblem and, in particular, an emblem and a method of making an emblemfrom a fabric layer which has been deformed by a calendering process.

[0003] In general, emblems and methods for making emblems are well knownin the art. A particular embroidered emblem and method of making theembroidered emblem is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,657,060 and3,816,211 which are owned by the assignee of the present application.These two patents disclose an embroidered emblem which comprises afabric base with an embroidered design on a first principal surface ofthe fabric base and a thermoplastic material laminated on the secondprincipal surface of the fabric base. In this manner, the emblem can beconveniently fastened to a garment or other surface through theapplication of heat and pressure to melt the thermoplastic material andthereby bond the fabric base to the garment or other surface. A similaremblem and method is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,981,742. The subjectmatter of each of the three above-mentioned patents is herebyincorporated by reference into the present application.

[0004] While the emblems disclosed in the three above-mentioned patensare quite acceptable and while the methods disclosed in the patents arequite useful in manufacturing such emblems, there is a need in the artfor an emblem which provides an enhanced appearance as well as enhancedperformance as well as enhanced performance characteristics.

[0005] Calendering is a mechanical process which is generally well knownin the fabric arts and is used to finish or impart certain specialeffects, such as high luster, glazing, moiré and embossing effects toexisting fabrics. More particularly, calendering involves theapplication of pressure, either alone or in combination with heat, to anexisting fabric to effectively compress the fibers of the fabric toproduce the desired special effect. U.S. Pat. No. 4,262,397 discloses amethod for calendering tubular knitted fabric to smooth and stabilizethe fabric. U.S. Pat. No. 4,084,026 discloses a calendering process forembossing designs on fabrics used as blankets, bedspreads and the like.Although, the calendering process has been used in the fabric industryfor creating certain special surface effects on fabrics, the calenderingprocess has not been used to date in connection with the production ofemblems. It has been found that by applying calendering to the basefabric used in making emblems, the resulting emblem includes a highluster which enhances the appearance of the emblem. In addition,calendering the base fabric improves the performance of some emblems.For example, with emblems in which the pattern is sublimated, the colorof the sublimated ink is retained longer and in better condition with acalendered fabric base. With respect to a screen printed emblem, theprinting holds up better to repeated industrial laundering if the fabricbase is subjected to a calendering process.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] Briefly stated, the present invention comprises a method ofmaking an emblem, including the steps of providing a fabric layer;subjecting the fabric layer to a calendering process comprising theapplication of heat and pressure; applying a pattern on the firstsurface of the fabric layer; and bonding a second layer of thermoplasticadhesive material to a second surface of the fabric layer.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

[0007] The foregoing summary, as well as the following detaileddescription of preferred embodiments of the invention will be betterunderstood when read in conjunction with the appended drawing. For thepurpose of illustrating the invention, there are shown in the drawing,embodiments which are presently preferred. It should be understood,however, that the present invention is not limited to the precisearrangements and instrumentalities shown. In the drawing:

[0008]FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of the application of acalendering process to a base fabric used in producing an emblem;

[0009]FIG. 2 is a top plan view of an embroidered emblem in accordancewith a first preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0010]FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2; and

[0011]FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a second preferred embodiment of annonembroidered emblem in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] As described above, the present invention comprises a method ofmaking an emblem of the type which includes a base formed of a firstlayer of fabric. Emblems in accordance with the present invention aresubstantially the same as existing, prior art emblems with one notableexception. That exception is that the fabric layer, which is employedfor producing emblems in accordance with the present invention isinitially subjected to a calendering process prior to the production ofthe emblem. The calendering process provides a desirable surface effectto the fabric layer which results in an emblem with an enhancedappearance once the emblem making process has been completed. Inaddition, subjecting the fabric to a calendering process results inemblems which exhibit enhanced performance characteristics including theenhanced ability to maintain color and/or print quality despite theemblems being subjected to industrial laundering.

[0013] Referring the drawing, wherein the same reference numerals areused to indicate the same components throughout the several figures,there is shown in FIG. 1 a schematic representation of a calenderingprocess being applied to a fabric 12 in accordance with the presentinvention. Preferably, the fabric 12 is a woven textile fabric which maybe made from any type of natural or synthetic textile material usingtechniques which are well known to those skilled in the art. Morepreferably, the fabric 12 is a woven polyester, woven cotton or acombination thereof. Presently preferred fabrics include, 100%polyester, 100% cotton or polyester-cotton blends of about 65% polyesterand about 35% cotton. It will be appreciated by those of ordinary skillin the art that while certain fabrics as described above are preferred,virtually any suitable woven fabric may be employed. If desired, thefabric 12 may be coated or impregnated with one or more soil resistingor stain repellent treatments. In addition, the fabric 12 may be coloredusing textile dyes of a type well known to those of ordinary skill inthe art.

[0014] As illustrated schematically in FIG. 1, the calendering processinvolves the application of pressure and heat to the fabric layer 12. Inparticular, a pair of rollers 14, 16 are employed for applying thepressure and heat to the fabric layer 12. Preferably, the rollers 14, 16are made of a high strength material such as steel and are arranged toapply the desired amount of pressure and/or heat to the fabric layer 12.Preferably, the pressure which is applied to the fabric layer 12 is inthe range of 300 to 450 lbs. per linear inch and, more preferably, is inthe range of 375 to 425 lbs. per linear inch. At least one of therollers, preferably the upper roller 14 is heated to the desiredtemperature to simultaneously apply heat to the fabric layer 12. In thepresent embodiment, the desired temperature is in the range of 370° to420° F. and more preferably is in the range of 390° to 400° F. Themanner in which the rollers 14, 16 are constructed, the techniquesemployed for causing the rollers 14, 16 to rotate and the manner inwhich the upper roller 14 is heated are well known to those of ordinaryskill in the calendering art and need not be described herein for acomplete understanding of the present invention. The application of heatand pressure by the rollers 14, 16 results in the fabric layer 12 beingcompressed and deformed to a flat, generally even surface with a highluster. The heat and pressure which is applied to the fabric 12 issufficient so that the fabric 12 does not fully recover and, therefore,retains the flat, generally even surface, high luster features. Ifdesired, the lower roller 16 may be unheated or may be heated to a lowertemperature than the temperature to which the upper roller 14 is heated.The combination of the application of heat and pressure causesindividual fibers within the fabric to melt and flow, such that thefibers are flattened and the surface facing the heated roller 14 is leftwith a high luster.

[0015] Once the calendering process has been completed the resultingflattened high luster fabric 12 is employed for completion of the emblemmaking process in a manner as described in connection with theabove-referenced patents. FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate a first embodiment ofan embroidered emblem 20 made in accordance with the present invention.An emblem pattern 22 is embroidered to the fabric layer 12 usingtechniques which are well known to those of ordinary skill in the art asdescribed in the above-referenced patents. In the illustratedembodiment, the embroidered pattern 22 comprises a pair of circlessurrounded by a border. It should be understood by those of ordinaryskill in the art that the particular embroidered pattern 22 is providedonly for purposes of illustration and should not be considered to be alimitation on the present invention, which could employ any type ofembroidered pattern. Preferably, the embroidered pattern 22 is appliedto the first or upper surface of the fabric layer 12, which preferablyis the surface which has been exposed to the heated roller 14 and,therefore, has the high luster appearance.

[0016] Once the embroidered pattern 22 has been applied to the firstsurface of the fabric layer 12, a second layer of thermoplastic adhesivematerial 18 is bonded to the second surface of the fabric layer 12.Preferably, the thermoplastic adhesive material comprises a polyurethaneof a type well known to those of ordinary skill in the art and asdescribed in the above-identified patents. The thermoplastic adhesivelayer 18 facilitates the convenient application of the emblem 20′ to agarment or other surface through the application of heat and pressure ina manner well known to those of ordinary skill in the art.

[0017]FIG. 4 illustrates an alternate embodiment of the presentinvention. In the embodiment 20 illustrated in FIG. 4, the pattern 24 isnot applied to the first surface of the fabric layer 12 by embroidering.Instead, the pattern 24 is applied to the first surface of the fabriclayer 12 using some other technique well known to those of ordinaryskill in the art. For example, the pattern 24 may be sublimated or maybe screen printed to the first surface of the fabric layer 12. Othertechniques for the application of the pattern 24 to the first surface ofthe fabric layer 12 will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in theart. As with the emblem 20 of FIGS. 2 and 3, the layer of thermoplasticadhesive material 18 bonded to the second surface of the fabric layer12.

[0018] From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that the presentinvention comprises an improved method of making an emblem whichincludes a base fabric with a high luster surface. In one preferredembodiment, the present emblem is made by first applying a calenderingprocess to the base fabric from which the emblem is formed. It will beappreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that changes ormodifications may be made to the embodiments described above. Forexample, the order in which the steps of the method are performed isimmaterial. For example, the thermoplastic adhesive material 18 may beapplied to the second surface of the fabric layer 12 before the pattern22 is applied. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to theparticular embodiments described but may be embodied in other specificforms within a spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:
 1. A method of making an emblem comprising the steps of:providing a fabric layer; subjecting the fabric layer to a calenderingprocess comprising the application of heat and pressure; applying apattern on a first surface of the fabric layer; and bonding a secondlayer of thermoplastic adhesive material to a second surface of thefabric layer.
 2. The method of making an emblem of claim 1, wherein thestep of subjecting the fabric layer to a calendering process isperformed before the step of applying the pattern.
 3. The method ofmaking an emblem of claim 1, wherein the step of subjecting the fabriclayer to a calendering process is performed before the step of bondingthe second layer.
 4. The method of making an emblem of claim 1, whereinthe step of subjecting the fabric layer to a calendering process isperformed after the step of applying the pattern.
 5. The method ofmaking an emblem of claim 1, wherein the step of subjecting the fabriclayer to a calendering process is performed after the step of bondingthe second layer.
 6. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein theapplied temperature is in the range of 370-420° F.
 7. The method asrecited in claim 1 wherein the applied pressure is in a range of 300-450lbs. per linear inch.
 8. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein theapplication of heat and pressure causes fibers of the fabric to beflattened and at least one surface of the fabric layer to include aluster.